For Parents of Young Athletes
Here you’ll find resources for parents and youth athlete nutrition. Please fill out the contact section below if you’d like more information about working together
A Developmentally Appropriate Approach to Youth Sports Nutrition.
Parents are the ultimate key players when it comes to youth sports nutrition. After all, you set the environment, stock the pantry, and model eating habits. But with so much noise around performance diets, weight cutting, supplements, and other “performance edge” ideas, knowing how to support your young athlete without causing burnout can feel overwhelming.
Brick by Brick Sports Nutrition’s philosophy is rooted in Long-Term Athletic Development: athletic and nutritional skills should be built sequentially with long-term success and health in mind.
Keys to Youth Athlete Nutrition Success
Focus on foundational fueling first: delay supplements (caffeine, creatine, protein powders) until your teen athlete masters basic hydration, consistent sleep, and fueling with foods available in your household.
Support natural growth: avoid weight cutting, chasing “leaning out”, or a target “race weight.” Let athletes train and compete at their natural body weight. Weight manipulation should be delayed until at least varsity/college levels (age 18+)
Protect a positive food relationship: avoid labeling foods as “good,” “bad,” or “junk.” Adding judgment to food can unintentionally affect how your child relates to eating and performance.
Keep the family involved: maintain family meals where possible, involve kids in age-appropriate meal planning or plating, and keep nutrition developmentally appropriate. Younger athletes tend to think very concretely and may not be ready for discussing the nutrition values of specific foods.
Free Download: The Fuel to Play Youth Athlete Guide
Fueling for the Future:
Read to start taking the guesswork out of fueling your young athlete?
Get practical, stress-free fueling strategies you can use today. No complex meal preps or list of rules to follow.
Inside the guide you’ll learn:
How to evaluate if your youth or teen athlete is fueling well
Simple, visual breakdown of food groups and plating
Timing and priority framework: learn exactly when to eat based on training schedules and what to prioritize
Fueling on the go: quick solutions for busy schedules
Hydration cheat sheet: clear guidelines to keep your athlete fully hydrated, focused, and cramp-free
By grabbing your guide, you’ll also subscribe to my newsletter. You’ll get my latest blog posts, athlete fueling tips, and free resources delivered straight to your inbox whenever new content drops. Unsubscribe anytime!